Marvin Fong/The Plain DealerThis early interception by Southern California's Chris Gallipo (54) was a costly mistake by Terrelle Pryor (2) in Ohio State's Sept. 12 loss to the Trojans. Pryor said Wednesday that avoiding turnovers is his main goal each week at quarterback.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor said nothing makes him angrier than an interception. So five times in five games this season, Ohio State's sophomore quarterback hasn't been happy.

"All the interceptions I've thrown this year were stupid mistakes," Pryor said Wednesday. "Maybe one or two were high or got tipped, but I take the blame. They were just stupid mistakes, stuff we can't have going on. ... Coach always says take what they give you. It kind of has to come to you. You can't force it, because that's when the interceptions come. We saw the passes I tried to force in."

Fifteen starts into his career, with No. 16 coming against undefeated Wisconsin on Saturday, Pryor continues to search for the balance between his big-play ability and his smart-play instruction. If there was any doubt about the priorities of the Ohio State offense, Buckeyes' offensive coordinator Jim Bollman removed them Wednesday by saying "the number one thing, the number one thing, is no turnovers. No turnovers."

While there's no denying that Pryor has improved in his last three games since Ohio State's 18-15 loss to USC, his strides have come with stumbles, with the five interceptions surpassing the four of his freshman season.

Darron Cummings/Associated PressTerrelle Pryor's athletic skills were too much for Indiana's Will Patterson to handle in last Saturday's romp by the Buckeyes. Pryor threw three TD passes in the victory, but said he still made some mistakes.He has also fumbled five times, though opponents have covered only two of them.

As the former No. 1 recruit in the nation finds his way, he has to make some mistakes, but mistakes will never be accepted.

"He obviously has the ability to make some plays, no question about it," Bollman said. "But you'd like for him sometimes to be a little more conservative on some of those things. And I think that's all part of continuing to keep maturing and improving."

Pryor could chuckle Wednesday because one of his three touchdown passes against Indiana on Saturday came on a play he should not have made, throwing back to fullback Zach Boren on the inside of the field as he rolled the opposite way, a mistake he has committed several times earlier this season.

"I actually get in trouble for throwing behind my body," Pryor said. "He was open from what I saw."

On another play, Pryor escaped a blitz, rolled 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage and then with a wrist flick completed a 20-yard pass as Brandon Saine made a stumbling backward catch. His scrambling ability kept the play alive, but the throw didn't please Jim Tressel, who said it "appeared to me to be up in the air about five seconds."

The plays illustrate the intriguing marriage of a talented but still raw quarterback and a head coach that hammers home taking care of the ball.

The union often works, but Pryor's progress hasn't always been easy. For instance, he led the Big Ten in passing efficiency a year ago, in part because was very careful, maybe sometimes too careful, with the ball while throwing 12 touchdown passes against the four interceptions.

Now, Pryor ranks seventh in the conference in passing efficiency with a rating 10 points lower. Tressel values that stat as an overall indication of a quarterback's play, yet doesn't want to read too much into it.

"I don't know if there's a relevance to why is that," Tressel said. "Maybe we protected better or maybe we ran better or maybe the routes were run better or maybe he threw it better, but I don't think there's any relevance in terms of his development, if that's your question."

The development has included several high points, especially when Pryor steps into a throw and hits a receiver between tight coverage, something he wouldn't have done last season.

"When I step into my throw, it's a much better ball. It's a proven fact," Pryor said. "I think I'm pretty good at it. It's a long process.

"I feel I can hold my own at the quarterback position. I'm not saying I'm the greatest. I'm not saying I'm bad. But I feel I can hold my own and I feel I can get the receivers the ball and I can take the team down the field. I feel confident in doing that."

Pryor on Vick: Pryor apologized for wearing NFL quarterback Michael Vick's name on his eyeblack in the first game of the season, saying "I didn't mean anything by it." But Pryor also said he remains a Vick fan.

"Not to catch anyone's attention, [but] I'd do it again," Pryor said. "He'd been a big role model as I was growing up, and I always looked up to Mike Vick. Maybe it was stupid to get involved in that, I shouldn't put myself in that position. But nothing against dogs, I love dogs and all that. He's out of jail and I looked up to him and he's a big role model. That's why I did it."

Flu bug: Ohio State starting left guard Justin Borenand starting tight end Jake Ballardmissed practice Wednesday with the flu, while co-left tackle Andy Millerremained out after missing Saturday's game while sick.

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